Need Advice...Ticket w/State Ref Signoff Only

[Simace]

So, I got pulled over last night because my exhaust was too loud. I won't go into the details of how I got pulled over, I'll just say that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time :/

Anyhow, the ticket states the following:
Correctable: YES
V/C: 27150(a)
Description: No Exhaust Muffler
Type: Infraction

Now here's the part that confuses me; the cop told me that the ticket can only be signed-off by a State Ref and that I cannot drive the car until that gets done.

I've done lotsa searching to figure this out and so far this is what I've found;
Some say that on your 1st offence you can pay for the ticket without "fixing" the issue and not have to deal with State Ref bs and that on 2nd+ offence you have to go see the State Ref and cannot pay for the ticket until then, while others say 1st/2nd+ offense doesn't matter, you have to go see a State Ref - which is it?

When your ticket requires "State Ref", some say that they [State Ref] only look into the infraction (in my case, no muffler) while others say that they go over your entire car - which is it?

I plan to put a silencer on the car, because I cannot fit mufflers given the car is slightly lower than stock. I'm hoping this tones down the exhaust, though I don't feel it's as loud as they're making it out to be.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

FWIW: This was the only thing on the ticket, no other infractions or anything, just the one mentioned.